Combination adjustable shelf and shelf supporting means



Oct. 11, 1938. w J MARCHANT I 2,132,743

COMBINATION ADJUSTABLE SHELF AND SHELF SUPPORTING MEANS Filed March 29, 1937 z I E 1 1m. M MW ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 11, 1938 -COMBINATION ADJUSTABLE SHELF AND I SHELF'SUPPORTING MEANS v Walter J. Marchant, Coronado, Calif.

-- "Application March 29, 1937, Serial No. 133,560

4 Claims.

My invention relates to a combination ad justableshelf and shelf supporting means which is adapted for use in connection with refrigerators, bookcases, or other structures in which it is desirable to adjust shelves to vary the distance between said shelves, and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a combination adjustable shelf and shelf supporting means in which the i0 shelves are held substantially in position in their adjusted relation and are not easily disarrange-d; Second, to provide a means of this class in which the shelves may be quickly and readily shifted to varying relative positions;

Third, to provide a means of this class in which the shelf must be shifted laterally before it may be shifted downwardly;

Fourth, to provide a means of this class which prevents the lateral shifting of the shelf without raising the same;

Fifth, to provide a means of this class which is applicable for use either with solid or foraminous shelves;

Sixth, to provide a means of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, easy of operation, eflicient in its action, and which will not readily be displaced, deteriorate, or get out of order.

With these and other objects in View as will appear hereinafter, my invention. consists of certain novel features of construction, combina-' tion, and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part in this application in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a fragmentary portion of a casing with my shelf and supporting means shown in connection therewith taken from the line I'I of Fig. 4; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view from the line 22 of Fig. 1 showing the shelf in fixed position on its supports; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view similar to that of Fig. 2 but taken from the other end of the. casing and shelf and showing the shelf shifted laterally ready for moving it downwardly; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view from the line 44 of Fig.

1 and showing the upper shelf in position while it is being moved downwardly relatively to the supports and showing by dash lines its raised position in getting it ready to be shifted downwardly and showing the lower shelf in fixed position on its supports; Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View in perspective of a fragmentary portion of the shelf alone; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary portion of a casing shown in elevation with the shelf supports in a slightly modified form from that of Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive taken from the line 6-6 of 5 Fig. 8; Fig. '7 is a top or plan view of said casing with the modified supports and showing a foraminous shelf in secured relation therewith; Figure 8 is a similar view showing the shelf shifted laterally ready to be shifted downwardly; and 10 Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 99 of Fig. '7.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawing in the preferred form: 15

The casing I, shelf supports 2, and shelf 3 constitute the principal parts of my combination adjustable shelf and shelf supporting means in the preferred form.

The casing I may be of any conventional 20 form, preferably rectangular on its inner surface in horizontal cross section. The one shown is open at one. side. It is provided at its opposite ends with shelf supports 2, which may be integral with the wall of the casing or secured thereto. 25 These supports 2 are preferably triangular in elevation as shown best in Fig. 1 of the drawing and rectangular when looking downwardly on the upper side thereof, but provided with rounded corners at the extended side as shown 30 best in Figure 3 of the drawing. The shelf 3 is provided at its back corners with notches 3a and 3b which are preferably formed by cutting away one side and turning the shelf portion downwardly forming downwardly extending lugs 30 and 3d. It is provided forwardly in the ends with notches 3e and 3] and with downwardly extending lugs 39 and 3h which are also preferably formed by cutting from the metal and bending downwardly. These lug portions 30, 301, 3g, and 3h provide means for engagement with the supports 2 to prevent the shelf from shifting forwardly or being shifted forwardly without first raising the shelf 3. Thus it is necessary as il- 45 lustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing, to first raise the shelf 3 upwardly to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4 of the drawing, then shift it backwardly until the notches 3a, 3b, 36, and 3 will permit the shelf to pass downwardly over 50 the supports 2 as shown in the upper shelf in Fig. 4 of the drawing; then it may be lowered to the next lower series of supports 2, but should be high enough to permit the lugs 36 and 3d, 3g, and 3h to pass the supports 2, then shifted back- 55 wardly and lowered onto the supports 2 as shown by the lower shelf in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

In the modified form of construction shown in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, the casing l is the same as that shown in the other views of the drawing. The shelf supports, however, are semispherical in shape and designated 4. They also are either integrally connected with the inner side wall of the casing l or secured thereto in a satisfactory way with their flat sides against the inner wall of the casing l. The shelves are shown foraminous, while the shelf 3 is shown solid. However, it is clear that either solid or foraminous shelves may be used in either case. The shelves 5 are each provided at their opposite ends with two open semi-circular curved portions 5a and 5b, which are adapted to pass over the semi-spherical supports 4 when the shelf 5is positioned directly over the same. These portions 5a and 5b are made in a frame 50 which forms the outline of the shelf 5 where it is foraminous, and this frame 50 is provided with upwardly curved portions 5d shown best in Fig. 9 of the drawing so that when the shelf 5 is in its secured relation with the supports 4, the shelf must be raised before it may be shifted laterally.

The mode of operation of shifting the shelf will thus be seen to be the same as the mode of operation in shifting the shelf in the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawing.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination, and arrangement of parts and portions and a certain modification therefrom, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination, and arrangement, nor to the modification as disclosed but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination, and arrangement sub stantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a means of the class described, a casing, opposed supports in spaced relation extending inwardly from the inner sides of two sides of 'said casing, a shelf provided with notches at its ends arranged for said supports to pass through said notches, and stop means at one side and below each of said notches adapted to engage said supports when the shelf is resting thereon to prevent the lateral movement of said shelf in one direction.

2. In a means of the class described, a casing, opposed supports in spaced relation extending inwardly from the inner sides of two sides of said casing, a shelf provided with notches at its ends arranged for said supports to pass through said notches, stop means at one side and below each of said notches adapted to engage said supports when the shelf is resting thereon to prevent the lateral movement of said shelf in one direction, whereby said shelf is shiftable downwardly only after lateral shifting thereof.

3. In a means of the class described, a shelf provided with vertical notches in its opposite ends, also provided with stop means on the lower side of said shelf adjacent said notches, and a casing with supports in two opposite sides spaced and arranged to pass through said notches with the upward and downward shifting of said shelf.

4. In a means of the class described, the com bination with a casing, of supports extending inwardly from opposed sides of said casing in spaced relation to each other, a shelf provided with conforming spaced notches adapted to receive said supports for shifting said shelf upwardly and downwardly in said casing, said shelf also provided with downwardly extending stop portions adjacent said notches on one side only adapted to engage said supports for holding said shelf against lateral movement in one direction when the shelf is resting on said supports.

WALTER J. MARCHANT. 

